Rivian’s VP Of Software Development Envisions AI Revolutionizing Electric Vehicle Experience

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 23: Taylor looks at Rivian electric trucks at the auto maker's newly opened storefront in the Meatpacking District of Manhattan on June 23, 2023 in New York City. The 5,000-square-foot location, Rivian’s first on the East Coast, displays its R1T and R1S electric vehicles and offers merchandise, test drives and a lounge and activity space for children. The Manhattan showroom is a temporary location until Rivian opens its permanent New York location in Brooklyn’s trendy Williamsburg neighborhood. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Rivian Automotive’s (NASDAQ:RIVN) vice president of software development, Wassym Bensaid, believes there is more to AI’s potential in improving the electric vehicle experience beyond autonomy. 

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JUNE 23: People look at Rivian electric trucks at the automaker’s newly opened storefront in the Meatpacking District of Manhattan on June 23, 2023 in New York City. The 5,000-square-foot location, Rivian’s first on the East Coast, displays its R1T and R1S electric vehicles and offers merchandise, test drives and a lounge and activity space for children. The Manhattan showroom is a temporary location until Rivian opens its permanent New York location in Brooklyn’s trendy Williamsburg neighborhood. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images) 

At the Data+AI Summit organized by Databricks in San Francisco, Bensaid shared his vision for a future where vehicles self-monitor their health and an AI agent detects potential problems. 

“Imagine a world where your vehicle will self-monitor its health, an AI agent in your vehicle will detect when a future problem might happen, your vehicle will automatically schedule its own service, and we send you one of our mobile vans,” Bensaid said at the summit last week.

Bensaid’s ultimate goal is to give customers back their most valuable resource: time. 

Rivian utilizes AI to enhance its battery system, improving range and performance. The incorporation of prognostic sensors enables the detection and prediction of issues, eliminating the traditional model of waiting for physical signs of problems. 

Rivian leverages the Databricks Lakehouse platform, uniting data, analytics, and AI. By utilizing this platform, Rivian achieves accelerated innovation, cost reduction, and an enhanced driving experience for its customers. Databricks is used by prominent organizations like ABN AMRO, Condé Nast, Regeneron, and Shell.

The EV maker, however, said last month it would take a human-centric approach to customer support, setting itself apart from the prevalent conversational AI trend. The company said last month that all customer interactions are handled by real employees, rejecting the use of automated bots. 

Microsoft and Mercedes-Benz partnered in implementing ChatGPT in the Mercedes vehicles. Other automakers may soon follow to implement the technology.

Rivian also acquired a Swedish EV route planning maker app Iternio as use of data to better expand their own charging network.

“The data that comes off of having a very active user base allows us to be very intentional as to how we build out a charging infrastructure,” said Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe.

Rivian’s R1T will be competing against Tesla’s Cybertruck and the Chevrolet Silverado EV as it is expected to enter the market as it is currently competing with the Ford F-150 Lightning, Ford’s current EV truck.

The R1S is the only full size EV currently in the market with three-row seating.

Produced in association with Benzinga

Edited by Alberto Arellano and Joseph Hammond